“Suddenly these were people, they seemed like real people to me. They were living in recognisable cities, living in New York, not a made-up city like Gotham City or Metropolis…

“And they had problems. The Fantastic Four squabble with each other…. Spider-Man was a kid who was bullied at school and wore glasses and never had a girlfriend.

“These were powerful ideas…. the soap opera element, the melodrama that Stan Lee was probably the first person to put into comic books.”

Marvel paid tribute to Lee, calling him the “creator, voice and champion” of the company.

Stan Lee has died age 95 (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

And hours after his death was announced, fans, some wearing T-shirts bearing his most famous creations, flocked to Lee’s star on Hollywood Boulevard.

Ross said: “He was a first generation American Jew… The fact that he was so familiar with the recent rising tide of anti-Semitism in Europe … those characters (X-Men) were very clearly a group of outsiders, misfits who were hunted down by various governments and fighting back for what was right.

“There was a liberal message, an anti-bigotry, anti-oppression message in his work that went all the way through all his life.

“He was a very good human being. A really lovely, warm funny man and a force for good.”

A statement on Marvel’s website said that “Marvel and the entire The Walt Disney Company salute the life and career of Stan Lee and offer their undying gratitude for his unmatchable accomplishments within their halls.

“Every time you open a Marvel comic, Stan will be there.”

Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive of The Walt Disney Company, which owns Marvel, said: “Stan Lee was as extraordinary as the characters he created.